The Longines Tachymeter Chronograph

August 2, 2012

Introducing the new Longines Tachymeter Chronograph. Presented in a 41 mm fully polished stainless steel case with a classically styled printed white dial with tachymeter scale. Hours, minutes, small seconds, date and chronograph displays are animated by caliber L688, a self-winding mechanical movement with a column-wheel developed exclusively for Longines. Although the movement has been modified for Longines, it is based on an ETA A08.L01, with 27 jewels, a frequency of 28,800 vph (4Hz) and a 54-hour power reserve.

"It features a technical tool initially introduced around 1811 to measure the hourly pace in assembly lines, as well as the velocity of the first modern means of locomotion: the tachymeter. To measure the hourly pace, the chronograph is started at the beginning of a task and stopped once the task is completed. The hand then shows the average production pace per hour. To find out the velocity of a subject, the chronograph is activated at distance zero and stopped once the distance of one kilometre has been covered. The hand then indicates the average velocity in units measured.

The white lacquered dial is inspired by the one of a chronograph developed by Longines in 1934 and contrasts perfectly with the black Arabic numerals, the tachymeter scale in blue (1000 m) and red (100 m). A subtle touch of elegance is added to this model by its blued steel Breguet hands indicating hours and minutes and the blued steel counter-weight line pear hand indicating the seconds."